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Throughout history, the descendants of President Garfield spoke proudly about his remarkable life but seldom discussed his untimely death. We were aware what had happened, that he was shot in a railway depot,” explains one of his modern descendants. “We read about the story in publications but, somehow, we just passed over it quickly.”

Revived Interest in a Forgotten President

This shifted in 2011 with the publication of a presidential biography, which revived interest in Garfield's truncated career. This work has now led to a streaming series titled Death by Lightning, including Michael Shannon as the commander-in-chief and Matthew Macfadyen as the wanderer who gunned him down.

The series aims to highlight Garfield, who emerged from difficult circumstances to the highest office during the economic era only to fall victim to its deep political rifts. His presidency was truncated after only 200 days not only by the gunman's shot but by physician mistakes – an event now largely forgotten while the assassinations of President Lincoln and John F Kennedy continue to captivate the public.

“One cannot help but admire what he did. He was like a multi-threat: he was a lawyer, he was a preacher, he was a land worker. He was all of these things which also influenced his personality and his behavior and all the information about him the family carries down with us.”

From Humble Beginnings to the Highest Office

Garfield was the last president coming from pioneer roots in the Midwest in 1831. His father died when he was just a toddler, leaving his mother, Eliza, to raise five children in difficult circumstances. An voracious learner, Garfield found employment on vessels to make funds for an education.

He learned legal principles, was entered the clergy, became leader of an institution in Ohio and was a government official. In 1858 he wed a previous schoolmate, his partner, with whom he would have seven children. An passionate nationalist, Garfield viewed the national conflict as a moral battle against forced servitude and progressed to the rank of major general.

“When I started researching him, I couldn't believe it. He was absolutely brilliant. He was extremely courageous. He was very progressive for the period. He was kind. He was a decent human being and would have been one of our great presidents had he remained alive.”

Government Service and Surprise Candidacy

Garfield was persuaded by the wartime leader to depart military life when he was elected to the Congress, where he would work as a Republican for nearly two decades. He was ardent advocate of black suffrage, viewing it as a matter of justice and the fulfillment of a military promise.

“The address he delivered on the floor of Congress will tear your heart out. He was an impressive communicator and this issue was extremely significant to him.”

At the political assembly in Chicago the faction was sharply split between the “faction members”, led by Senator Roscoe Conkling, who supported a additional presidency for military hero, and the “opposing faction”, who supported James G Blaine. Garfield attended as a advocate of his close associate John Sherman.

When the 15,000-person convention was stalled between Grant and Blaine, party members began seeking a compromise. Garfield's powerful oration proposing Sherman impressed them. During the speech, he reportedly shouted, “And now, gentlemen of the convention, what do we want?” to which a voice from the crowd unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the extended selection process, a rush of supporters made Garfield the unexpected candidate. To appease the Stalwart faction, the vice presidential pick, a faction member from New York, was chosen as his vice president. In the general election Garfield beat the opposing candidate to become the only sitting member of the House ever to be chosen as leader.

Truncated Term and Power Struggles

“His possible achievements and what is remarkably uncommon and maybe special for the American presidency is he hadn't campaigned aggressively. It's not that he had completely dismissed it but he was forced into the role.”

The defining conflict of Garfield's brief term was his confrontation with Conkling over the “spoils system”. Conkling required power over political positions in New York, particularly the powerful and lucrative post of customs official. Garfield refused, stating the issue was “concerning if the national leader becomes registering clerk of the senate or the nation's leader”. He selected a opponent of Conkling to the post.

The confrontation became a visible struggle but Garfield outmaneuvered Conkling in the Senate. Confronting a public failure, Conkling and his associate left their positions in protest. The next day, Garfield's selection was ratified. It was a historic triumph for the power of the presidency over the political organization and for the improvement efforts over “boss rule”.

The Gunman and His Disturbed Mind

But even as Garfield confronted influential people of his party, he was being pursued by a mentally unstable individual who exemplified the problematic element of the spoils network. Charles Guiteau was a unstable individual with a history of occupational setbacks, emotional issues and physical and psychological abuse. He had failed as a lawyer, debt recovery agent, religious figure and member of a free-love commune.

“He was mentally ill and his specific type of insanity was delusion. He always believed that divine selection for significance. He actually had more privileged beginning than Garfield but where Garfield achieved and rose, Guiteau was unsuccessful in all endeavors.”

But Guiteau believed he had finally found a pathway to success: politics. Swept up in the excitement of the political contest, he created and presented an insignificant speech, and became certain in his thoughts that he was personally instrumental for Garfield's victory.

Under this thinking, Guiteau determined he had deserved a prestigious position. He went to the capital and constantly harassed Garfield, Blaine and other authorities, demanding to be made the US consul in Paris — a post for which he had inadequate skills. He became such a annoyance that he was eventually banned from the White House.

The Shooting and Doctor Errors

On that fateful day, just four months into his presidency, Garfield was departing the capital for his educational gathering. As he passed through the train depot, Guiteau appeared suddenly, pulled an weapon from his coat pocket and shot the president twice in the back.

Garfield shouted: “My God, what is this?” and dropped on the waiting area. When a {police officer|law